I've been avoiding this book for awhile due to the mention of child abuse in the plotline, but I'm glad the need for a "X" in a current reading challenge made me get to it.

The first thing to say about this book, and K.Z. Snow, is that the writing is just on another level than what is normally encountered in the m/m romance genre. K.Z.'s wording and description are of literary quality. I read the first sex scene over a few times just marveling at how unique and beautifully worded it was-- having read dozens of such scenes in other books, the way the author made this one completely fresh and stunning without resorting to pornographic descriptions was really impressive.

The plot does involve two young men who both had abuse in their past, but I never felt the author was just beating the characters over the head with pain as I've felt with some books, and the angst was never too much. There were plenty of lighter moments in the book. I loved the descriptions of Bob and the polka band and the drag queens at Sugar Bowl.